Brooder heater



Sept. 8, 1931. w, LORD 1,822,049

BROODER HEATER I 'Filed Dec. 10. 1929 Fed Wlard Patented Sept. 8, 193:1

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEED W. LORD, OF TIPTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OAKES MANUFACTURING GOIMPANY, OF TIPTON, INDIANA, A CQRPORATION OF INDIANA BROODER HEATER Application filed December 10, 1929.

This invention relates to a heating apparatus and particularly to apparatus designed for chicken brooders and an object of the invention is to provide a heating apparatus which is automatic in operation and highly sensitive to temperature changes thereby operating to maintain a uniform temperature.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar part-s,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the invention,

Figure 2, a vertical section of the burner,

Figure 3, a-section on line 33 of Figure 2,

Figures, a detailed view, and

Figure 5, a view of a modified form of the device.

In the drawings numeral indicates a base having a support 11 at one end for an oil reservoir and a support 12 at the other end for the burner and its associated parts. The housing 11 is open at the top and dish 13 having flanges 14 is positioned in the opening. An oil reservoir 15 is shown inverted 1n the dish 13 and resting on shoulders 16- in the dish so that oil may rise to a level 17 7 up to the mouth of the reservoir. A pipe 18 is connected to the lower portion of the dish 13 and passes through the base 10 and into the lower portion of a cup 19. A perforated cylinder 20 is seated in the cup 19 and has a number of plates 21. positioned within it which plates are seated within the cup 19. A perforated burner cap 22 is positioned around the burner 29. Beneath the cup 19 is secured a knife edged plate 23 which rests upon forks 24 of a lever 25. The forks 2 1 are notched as shown at 16 to prevent the knife edged plate 23 from becoming disengaged from the lever. The notch 16 preferably has a rounded bottom to aid in eliminating friction. The lever 25 is pivoted at 26 to a post 27 which is secured on the base '10. A weight 28 may be secured on the opposite end of the lever to balance the weight of the burner and its associated parts.

The lever 25 extends through a slot in the casing 12. The upper side 25 and lower side 27 of the slot limit upper and lower Serial No. 413,079.

movement of the lever. The post 27 has an arm 29 through which a screw threaded stem 30 extends. The stem 30 has on its lower end a pluralityof thermostatic wafers 31 and a lock nut 32 provides means for holding the stem 30 in adjusted vertical position. The lower end of the stem 30 passes down through a slot l7 in the lever 25. The stem 30 between the lower wafer 31 and the lever 25 is surrounded by a spring 18. This spring seats on a disk 49.

In operation the burner is positioned in a substantially level position so that the oil level 33 in the cup 19, which is the same as the oil level 17 in the cup 13 will be somewhat above the bottom of the cup 19. When the cup 19 is raised or lowered the depth of the oil in the cup will be increased or decreased. The intensity of the flame in the burner tube 20 is in proportion to the depth of the oil in the cup 19, therefore variation in the position of the cup 19 will affect the heat of the burner. The thermostat 31 provide means for vertically adjusting the burner 19 in response to variations in the temperature of the air surrounding the burner '19. Obviously adjust-- ment of the stem 30 may be made to control the temperature at which the thermostat will operate. The pipe 18 is sufficiently flexible to allow the slight necessary vertical movement of the cup 19 due to the changes of temperature. The burner is accurately balanced by means of the weight 28 so that the device is very sensitive to variations in temperature and responds promptly to maintain a practically uniform temperature within the brooder in which the heater is placed.

The lever 25 is limited in its upward move ment by engagement with a shoulder 25' on the housing 12, this prevents the lever from moving high enough to completely extinguish the flame in the burner. Likewise a shoulder 27 limits the low position of the lever 25 so that the oil can never flow out of the top of the burner 19.

If the lever 25 is moved to strike the edge 25 at the slot and the heat in the room is not quickly reduced the wafers 31 may continue to expand. This expansion is taken care of by the spring 48.

In Figure 5 is shown a slightly modified form of the device. in this form the reservoir 3% with its associated parts and the burner 35 and the thermostat 36 with its associated parts are the same as those shown in the preferred form. The difference between this and the preferred form is that the cup 37 is mounted on the upper end of a bracket 38 which bracket is pivoted at 39 to the base of the machine. The pipe e0 is attached by means of a bracket 41 to the lower part of the cup 42 and an end as of the rod 40 is guided in a slot 44 in a casing 45. As will be clear from the description given, this form of pipe 40 does not flex but the reservoir 3% rocks on the pivot 39 as the burner 42 is moved up and down in response to variation in temperature. The modified form is substantially like the preferred form in all other respects.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my de vice without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to What is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indi cated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

1. A brooder heater comprising a base having a burner cup and an oil cup mounted at its respective ends, said burner cup provided with a plate depending from its bottom, a flexible conduit connecting said cups, a support fixed to said base, a lever pivotally secured to said support provided with a forklike end adapted to engage said plate, a heat responsive device resiliently positioned be tween said lever and said support for actuating said lever to raise said burner cup, substantially as set forth.

2. A brooder heater comprising a base, an oil cup mounted in one end of the base, a burner cup mounted in the other end having a knife-like plate depending therefrom, a conduit connecting said oil cup and said burner cup, a support fixed on said base, a lever pivotally mounted on said support and having a pair of notched prongs on one end and a counterbalance on the other, said prongs adapted to engage said knife-like plate for raising said burner cup, and heat responsive means for rocking said lever to raise and lower said burner cup, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Tipton, Indiana this 30th day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-nine.

FRED W. LORD. 

